Central station apparatus



Jan. 26, 1932. LANDERS 1,842,679

CENTRAL STATION APPARATUS Filed Dec. 30, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 00 o 10 o o 05 o 0 ooiooooooo o oo o o o G o 0 oo 0 00 000090 0000 G O O00 000 00 Q 0 O 0Q 0Q O O OO O 00 1932- M. H. LANDERS 1,842,679

CENTRAL STATION APPARATUS Filed Dec. 30, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v 4 A A fizaewalor' Jan. 26, 1932. M. H. LANDERS 1,842,679

CENTRAL STATION APPARATUS Filed Dec. 30, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet s 'Ian. 26, 1932.. Rs 1,842,679

CENTRAL STATION APPARATUS Filed Dec. 50. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 v rhnuu.

Jan, 26, 1932. M. H. LANDERS 1,842,679

CENTRAL STATION APPARATUS Filed Dec. 30, 1929 5 Sheets-Shet 5 is provided with a manually operable switch 20 so that they may be either opened or closed. In Fig. 1 the switch of two of the chutes 16 and of two of the chutes 17 are open while those of the third are closed. Thus carriers are being sent to both tables B and tables C. The intermediate chutes 16 and 17 lead to other tables not shown.

The carriers diverted by the switches 20 to the various tables are handled in the same manner, andaccordingly one table only will be described in detail. (See Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive.) As shown in Fig. 1 theselected table B is provided with four chairs one for each clerk or operator. In front of each chair is mounted on the table an inclined carrier chute 21 to which the carriers are delivered from the tube 18. The tube 18 terminates at its outer end in a sleeve 22 from. which a pipe 23 leads to a vacuum drum 24 or similar source of minus pressure. From the end of the sleeve 22 extends a continuation tube 25 which is normally out off from the tube 18 by a spring closed gate 26. A carrier arriving at the sleeve 22 opens the gate 26 by its impact and passes on by gravity through the sleeve into the continuation tube 25. The continuation tube 25 opens into a passage through one arm 30 of a Y-shaped member 31 supported upon a revolvable shaft. 32 which extends through the center of the table. The shaft 32 is mounted in a suitable bearing 33 on the floor orplatform is rotatable relative tothe tube 25 in bearings 34 and is driven byasuitable motor 35. 7

To the ar1n30 of the member 31 is secured a magazine tube 36 which forms a continuation of the passage therein and is supported at its lower end by an arm 38 carried by the revolvable shaft 32. The arm 38 also sup ports a carrier receiver 39 pivotally swung atits upper end on diametrically arranged pins 10. The receiver 39 is thus free to swing'on thesepins sothat its upper end is out of alignment with the magazine tube 36. The carrier arm 38 is provided at its outer end with an extension 41 wh ch terminates in a finger {12 extending below the bottom of the receiver 39 and normally preventing the passage'of a carrier therethrough; I r

The chute 21 is preferably open at one side and extends downwardly at an angle "terminating in a pocket 1 1. Mounted upon a suitable sup porting frame 45 are a pair of brack- 5 ets 46 and a bracket i? which carry a shaft 48 to which is fixed a yoke 49. Theyoke 19 is located betw'eenthe brackets 16 while the bracket 47 may be extended to act as a support for the upper end of the chute 21. Be-

' tween the arms of the yoke 19 is mounteda trip 50 secured upon a rotatable pin- 51. A suitablespring surrounding the pin 51 holds the trip 50 normally in upright position but 7 permits it to swing under excess pressure.

On the side of the receiver 39 is mounted a connects the knob or projection 52 so located that it will,

under normal conditions, engage the trip 50. Fixed upon the shaft 48 is an arm 53 normally held by a spring 5 1 in such position that the trip 50 will be held in position to be engaged by the projection 52. A link 55 arm 53 to a lever 56 pivotally mounted upon a bracket 57 carried by the table B. The tip 58 of the lever extends through a slot 59 in the wall of the chute 21 above the bottom of the pocket .44 so that it will be engaged by a carrier in the chute. As

will be'clearly apparent from an examination of Fig. 5, a carrier in the chute 21 will depress the'tip 58 of the lever 56 and acting through the elements just described will swing the trip 50 into a position in which it will no longer be engaged by the projection 52.

.After the contents of a carrier have been properly handled the carrier is sent to the despatching desk D the operator at the table. This may be done by providing one or more des atch outlets at each table or by other similar means. The means here shown has proven to be satisfactory and will therefore be described. Adjacent each chute 21 is formed in the table an opening 60 through which carriers may be dropped onto a rotating trough 61. The rotating trough 61 includes an inner circular wall 62 which forms, with. a wall 63 downwardly projecting from the face of the table, an annular pocket. The trough 61 is connected by bars 65 with the rotating shaft 32 so that as the shaft rotates the trough also rotates and the carriers therein are brought to a pick oif chute 66 from which they pass to the despatchers desk through a tube 67. The tubes arriving at the despatchers desk D are'returned by the operator through the despatch openings 70 to their destination.

From the description above given it will be clear that the carriers coming in from the various out-stations are separated and-delivered at the main receiving desk A onto the conveyors 14 and 15. From these conveyors they pass through suitable chutes 16 and 17 and tubes 18 and 19 to the cash and charge stations .13 and C. By reason of the deflectors 20it is possible to regulate the number of stations to be used both for cash and credit, and where thereis little'busines's only the chutes 16 and 17 the left of 1 will be employed together with the tables B and G which they feed. However, as is the usual case, should the number of cash transactions be much greater than the number of charge transactions, one or more of the chutes 16 may be opened while only one of the chutes 17 would be open.

The carriers delivered through the tube. 18 c 119 to themagazine tube 30 and thence to the receiver 39 are distributed automatically one to each of the chutes 21 on the table. It will be noted that. while the magazine tube 36 is large enough to contain several carriers, the receiver 39 can only accommodate one. 'lherecciver 39 isot such dimension thatthe upper end of a carrier therein resting upon the linger l2 prevents the bottom carrier in the m "ins-tube from projecting'into the receiver. As the arm is rotated by the shaft 32 the projection 52 on the receiver 39 en- ,ean'cs the trip associated with the first claite which actsto swing the receiver on its pivots a l) away from the finger42 so that the prior will fall by gravity into the chute 2 As soon asthe arm has passed'the trip lit) the receiver 3-19 returns to the normalposition and a second carrier falls from the magazine tube 36 thereinto. Thus by the time the recei 39 arrives'at thesucceeding chute it contains a carrier which is delivered in the manner justdescribed.

l l henever, in dull periods it is not even necessary to provide a clerk at each chute of a table a dummy carrier is placed in each unattended chute, and the trip 50 thereof will then be swung; out of its normal position so thatit does not engage the projection 52 on the receiver #3!) as it passes by to release a carrier. it will be noted that the carriers are normally delivered seriatim to the chutes which are en'lpty and are not delivered to t e filled chutes. Thus a very flexible condition is provided so that the work can quickly and be easily handled and the size of the torce employed increased or diminished in accordance with the requirements that may exist at any time.

The embodiment shown in Fig; 8'illustrates small installation in which the car riers from the various outstations are delivered onto a main deslr which has only a single conveyor thereon and from which they are transferred through a suitable chute to a pneumatic conveyor tube 80. The carriers lur'e not previously been separatedbut are dis ributed by the separator 81 so that one class of carriers will fall into the magazine tube 853. while the other class will pass on throw-lb a tube till to a second magazine tube lit. The carriers are delivered from the man;- an

no tubes to the various chutes at the tables in the manner previously described.

'lhe cash and credit tables 13 and C are here shown as adjacent the main receiving d dz but it will be readily understood that the is ct cs ntial and that the tables may be located in separate compartments on the same or other floors wherever it is mostconv: lient and desirable. Moreover the tables may be of any desired size and the number oi chairs and operators provided are not li1nitcd to the tour here shown,

claim:

l. central station apparatus comprising a wort: taole having; a plurality oi operators stations, a pneumatic despatch tube by which carriers are despatchcd to the work table, a

carrier chute at each operators station, and rotatable means for automatically feeding the carriers in the tube seriatimto the chutes.

2. A central station apparatus comprising a Worktable having a plurality of operators stations, a pneumatic dcspatch tube by which carriers are despatched to the work table, a carrier chute at each operators station, means including a rotatable magazine to which the carriers are delivered by the tube for automatically feeding the carriers in the tube seriatim to the chutes, and mechanism for preventing the operation of said means with respect to certain predetermined chutes.

3. A central station apparatus comprising a work table having a plurality of operators stations, a pneumatic despatch tube in which carriers are despatched to theavork table, a carrie chute at each operator s station, means for automatically feeding the carriers in the tube seriatin'i to the chutes and mechanism for preventing the operation of said means with respect to chutes already con taining carriers.

l. A central station apparatus comprising a work table having a plurality of operators stations, a pneumatic despatch tube in which carriers aredespatched to the work table,a

carrier chute at each operators station, a

magazine tube into which the carriers in the despatch tube pass, a carrier receiver into which the magazine tube feeds the carriers, means for passing said receiver rel'ativeto the chutes, and means coacting with the receiver whereby the carriers are delivered into the chutes from the receivers.

5. Acentral station apparatus comprising a work table having a plurality of operators stations, a pneumatic despatch tube in which carriers are despatched to the work table, a carrier chute at each operators station, a magazine tube into which the carriers in the despatchtube pass, acarrier receiver into which the magazine tube feeds the carriers, means for passing said receiver relative to the chutes, and means associated with each chute and coactinp; with the receiver whereby the carriers are delivered into the chutes from the receivers.

(S. A central station apparatus comprising a work table having a plurality of operators stations, a pneumatic dcspatch tube in which carriers are despatched to the work table, a

carrier chute at each operzttors station, a magazine tube into which the carriers in the despatch tube pass, a carrier receiver into which the magazine tube feeds the carriers, means for supporting and rotating said magazine tube and receiver as a unit relative to the chutes, and means coacting with the re ceiver while in rotation whereby the carriers are delivered into the chutes from the receiver.

'l. A cent "al station apparatus comprising ice a w'ork table having a plurality of operators stations, a pneumatic despatch tube'in which.

carriers are despatchedto the work table, a carrler chute ateach operators station, a magazine tube into which the carriers in the despatch tube pass, a carrier receiver intofrom the receiver, one carrier-falling 'into' each chute.

8. A central station apparatus comprising a work table having a plurality of operators stations, a pneumatic despatch tube in which carriers are despatched to the work table, a carrier chute at each operators station, a magazine tube into which the carriers in the despatch tube pass, a carrier receiver into which the magazine tube feeds the carriers, means vfor supporting and rotating said magazine tube and receiver as a unit relative to the chutes, and means associated with each chute coacting with the receiver. while in rotation whereby the carriers are delivered from the receiver, one carrier falling into each chute, said means being operative only when the chute associated therewith is empty.

9. A central station apparatus comprising a work table having a plurality of operators stations, a pneumatic despatch tube in which carriers are despatched to the work table, a carrier chute at each operators station, a magazine tube into which'the carriersin the despatch tube pass, a carrier receiver into which the magazine tube feedsthe carriers, means for supporting and rotating said magazine tube and receiver as a unit relative to the chute, said receiver bemg pivotally mounted on such means and means coacting with the receiver while in motion for swinging the same and causing it to deliver a carrier into each chute.

10. A central station apparatus comprising a work table having a plurality of operators stations, a pneumatic despatch tube in which carriers are despatched to the work table, a carrier chute at each operators station, a magazine tube into which the carriers in the despatch tube pass, a carrier receiver into which the magazine tube feeds the carriers, means for supporting and rotating said magazine tube and receiver as a unit relative to the chute, said receiver being pivotally mounted on such means, and means associated with'each chute and coacting with the receiver while in motion for swinging the same and causing it to deliver acarrier into each chute. A

11. A central station apparatus comprising a work table having a plurality of operators stations, a pneumatic despatch tube in which carriers are clespatched to the worktable, a

.pivotally mounted and normally in alignment with the tube, a projection upon the receiver, and a trip associated with each chute adapted to: engage the projection on the receiver and to tilt the same out of its normal position as it passes the chute whereby the carrier in the receiver is free to fall into the chute.

12. A central station apparatus comprising a work table having a plurality of operators stations, a pneumatic despatch tube in which carriers are despatched to the work table, a carrier chute at each operators station, a magazine tube into which the carriers in the despatch tube pass, a carrier receiver into which the magazine tubefeeds the carriers, a rotatable shaft by which the'magazine tube and receiver are supported and rotated as a unit relative to the chutes, said receiver being pivotally mounted and normally in alignment with the tube, a projection upon the receiver, and a trip associated with each chute adapted to engage the projection on the receiver and to tilt the same out of its normal receiver. I

13. A central station apparatus comprising a work table having a plurality of operators stations, a pneumatic despatch tube in which carriers are despatched to the work table, a carrier chute at each operators sta tion, a magazine tube into which the carriers in the despatch tube pass, a carrier receiver into which the magazine tube feeds the carriers,isaid receiver being tubular in form to accommodate one carrier only at a time, a rotatable shaft upon which the upper end of the magazine tube is supported, an arm fixed upon said shaft and acting to sup ort fixedly the lower end of the magazine tu e and pivotally the receiver, at its upper end a finger on said arm, said receiver being normally in alignment with the tube and the finger acting to close the lower end ofthe receiver, a pro jection on the receiver adjacent its lower end, and a trip associated with each chute which, as the tube and receiver are rotated, engages the projection on the receiver and tilts out of its normal position over the finger whereupon the carrier therein falls into the chute.

14. A central station apparatus comprising a work table having at least one operators station and means for delivering carcarrier falls from the magazine tube into the i riers to said station, which means include a pneumatic despatch tube, a magazine tube at the table, a carrier chute and means automatically delivering a carrier from the magazine tube to the chute when the latter is empty.

15. A central station apparatus comprising a work table having at least one operators station and means for delivering carriers to said station, Which means include a pneumatic despatch tube, a magazine tube at the table, a carrier chute and a carrier receiver intermediate the magazine tube and the chute to which receiver a carrier is deli'vered from the magazine tube and by Which the carrier is delivered to the chute When the latter is empty.

it). A central station apparatus comprising a work table having at least one operators station and means for delivering carriers to said station, which means include a pneumatic despatch tube, a magazine tube at the table, a carrier chute, a rotatable shaft on which said magazine tube is mounted, and a carrier receiver also mounted on the shaft to which a carrier is delivered from the magazine tube and by which the carrier is delivered to the chute.

17. The combination with a Work table having an opening therein, a rotatable trough below said opening which receives carriers dropped through the opening, a pick-oil chute and means for rotating the trough whereby the carriers thereon are delivered to the chute.

18. A central station apparatus comprising in combination means by which carriers are despatched thereto, said means including a separator by which the carriers are divided into groups, a plurality of work tables each having a plurality of operators stations, and automatic means for despatching the carriers of one group to the operators stations at one of said tables and the carriers of another group to the operators stations at another of said tables, said auto matic means including at each table a rotatable magazine acting to distribute the carriers among the various operators stations at the table.

19. A central station apparatus comprising in combination work table at which can riers of one group are handled, a second Work table at which carriers of another group are handled, each of said tables having a plurality of operators stations, automatic means at each table for distributing the carriers to the various stations, a carrier separator and tubes by which the carriers are fed to the separator and by which the separated carriers are fed to the automatic distributing means at each table.

Eligned by me at Syracuse, New York, this thirtieth day of November, 1929.

MARSDEN H. LANDERS. 

